A narrow majority of voters in Washington State support Initiative-502, which would legalize and regulate marijuana for adults over the age of 21. According to a new PPP poll 50 percent of Washington State voters currently would vote yes on I-502 if the election were held today, while just 37 percent would vote no. From PPP:

Washington Initiative 502 would license and regulate marijuana production, distribution, and possessions for persons over 21; remove state-law criminal and civil penalties for activities that it authorizes; tax marijuana sales; and earmark marijuana-related revenues. If the election was today, would you vote yes or no on Initiative 502?

This represents an improvement in the I-502 standing since the last time PPP polled about this initiative. Back in February the initiative polled at only 47 percent yes to 39 percent no.

This is an important development. Not only is the measure now up to 50 percent, but in general ballot measures tend to get less popular, not more popular, as it gets closer to the election. If the New Approach Washington campaign, which is behind I-502, can manage to simply maintain this current level of support that might be enough to allow it to pass this year.

As expected, the poll finds there is an important generational divide on the issue of marijuana legalization. A majority of voters under 65 support the measure, but a plurality of senior citizens oppose legalization.

There is also a large partisan divide. Democrats (70% yes -17% no) and Independents (54% yes -33% no) both strongly support marijuana legalization. On the other hand, Republicans are heavily opposed with only 20 percent in support of I-502 and 68 percent against.

According to the poll, the main impediments to sane marijuana laws are Republicans and old people. Republicans, of course, are hopeless but maybe the way to tip the scale is to turn on our parents and grandparents.

“That arthritis is hurting you again, isn’t it? Ya know those pills will give you an ulcer. But if you keep an open mind, you can get much safer relief from fish oil and a wrongly maligned herb……”